Shoulder pad and the method of construction thereof



July 28, 1953 D. MORG'ENSTERN 2,646,573

SHOULDER PAD, AND THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREF Filed Feb. 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet l A WD NOME/15 TER/Y A TTOQNEY July 28, 1953 D. MORGENSTERN 2,646,573

SHOULDER PAD, AND THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF Filed Feb. 27, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. DA v/D MoRqE/ys THe/y A TTG/QNEY Patented July 28, 195.3

SHOULDER PAD AND THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION THEREOF David Morgenstern, New York, N. Y., assgnor to Walter M. Berliner, New York, N. Y.

Application February 27, 1948, Serial No. 11,436

z'claims. (ci. z-zss) This invention relates to shoulder pads, an the method of construction thereof;

The manufacture of pads for imparting an exaggerated elevation to the shoulders of garments is an industry in which, for the most part, use is made of containers formed from flexible material, such as cloth. These containers lare pued out with wadding, such as cotton or the like. shoulder portions of garments in any suitable manner. These pads, when subjected to washing or cleaning, become deformed, as a general rule, because there is nothing to maintain any degree of rigidity for the .wadding used to stulf the pad. Differentattempts have been made to utilize rubber; the usual result has been that the form necessary for conforming to the shapingl of the shoulder cannot be secured by using ordinary rubber pieces which, after being flexed, tend to ily out of the flexed form to exaggerate the Vform of the garment. Furthermore, stitching rubber material is generally unsatisfactory since the stitches tend to tear out of the rubber.

It is an object of the invention to provide a construction having the elasticity of a rubber section and yet having the qualities of a fabric which is moisture absorbent, may be laundered and ironed without marring' its shape to 'any marked degree, and lends itself to stitching.

The invention may be practised by means of any of the substances commonly known as sponge rubber. However, Ia substance, commonly known as latex wool, lends itself most effectively to the purposes of the invention as well as to shaping into the form of a shoulder pad. Such form is that of a section which can be distorted readily into the form necessary for imparting an'exaggerated outline to the shoulder of a garment. Material of this type generally is supplied in the form of sheets, which are produced by laying down successive layers of the base substance. This base substance, in effect, is textile fibers cemented to each other by what amounts to rubber, whether natural or synthetic. 'I'he amount of rubber is small as comparedto the final total volume of the sheet, but is sufcient to provide a connection between the individual fibers. The resultant product is a, very porous mass in which the textile fibers are as dominant as the rubber material. The mass, however, is highly elastic and flexible, and may The pads thus formed are sewed into the rolled up into a form it is desired such material should retain, and the liquid portion of the dispersion is permitted to dissipate, the material will now not tend to return to its original form, even if nothing else be `applied to the material, but will be restrained to remain in the form into which it has been bent or rolled.

It is an object of the invention to construct a shoulder pad embodying features of a material such as described, that is, a material involving textile bers held elastically with relation to each other, wherein the pad formed from such material is anchored to retain its shape to conform to the contour of a shoulder.

Other objects of the invention will be set forth hereinafter, or will be apparent from the description and the drawings, in which are illustrated embodiments exemplifying the invention.

The invention, however, is not intended to be restricted to any particular construction, or any particular arrangement of parts, or any particular applicationV of any such construction or arrangement of parts, or any specific method of operation or use, or any of the various details thereof, even where specifically shown and described herein, as the same may be modified in vvarious particulars, or may be applied in many vvaried relations, without departing from the be bent easily to shape it to the form, for instance, of the contour of a shoulder. However, the mass, when released from its bent form, tends t0 return to the original form.

It has been observed that when a surface of a flexible material, where the surface area is large compared vto the thickness of the material, has a substance, such as a dispersion of rubber in a, solvent (rubber cement is such amaterial) sprayed thereon, and the material is bent or spirit and scope of the claimed invention, of which the exemplifying embodiments, herein shown and described, are intended only to be illustrative, and only for the purpose of complying with the requirements of the statutes for disclosure of an operative embodiment, but not to show all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied.

On the drawings, in which the same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout, and in which are disclosed such practical constructions,

Fig. l is an elevational View of a portion of a person wearing a garment wherein is used a houlder pad embodying features of the invenion;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of a piece ofv material used in forming a shoulder pad embodying similar material, used in the formation of the pad shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a piece of lining material, used in forming the pad shown in Fig. l; Fig. 6 is a Vertical cross-sectional View of a form used in the construction of a pad suchvas shown in Fig. 1;`

3 Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional View, substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional View, substantially on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8, and

similar to Fig. '7, showing the first step in the formation of the pad, with the piece of material shown in Fig. in place upon the form;

Fig. 10 is a view, similar toFig. 8, and Fig. 11V

is a vertical cross-sectional view, similar to Fig. 9, and substantially on the line H-ll l of Fig. 1Q,

showing the next step in the process of making a shoulder pad, such as shown in Fig. 1, the l'ler of Fig. 3 being shown in position;

Fig. 12 is a View, similar to Figs. 8 and 10, and Fig, 13 is a cross-sectional View, similar to Fig. 11, showing the nal step. in the production of a pad such as shown in Fig. 1;

, ygrinding wheel, so that some of the material is ground 01T, as shown in Fig. 3. The result is such that, starting from a substantially vertical wall 28 formed by cutting the piece into the two sections, the section is cut off so as to taper down to Fig. 14 is a plan View of the product of the process defined in the various steps shown in Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, in which the product is two pads, joined together as a unit;

Fig. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view, substantially on the diagonal line of Fig. 14, to illustrate the arrangement of the parts of the pad in relation to each other;

Fig. 16 is an elevationalV view of the structure shown in Fig. 14, but with the two sections cut apart; v.

Fig. 1'7 is a view in phantom, and in end elevation, to illustrate the structure of the pad associated with the container formed for retaining the pad, the container being shown by dot-and-dash lines; and

Fig. 18V is a View, in vertical cross-section, to illustrate a modied formV for the production of a pad embodying features of the invention.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a shoulder pad i0 is assembled with agarment l2 so that it will be in position to seat over the shoulder I4 of a wearer. The pad is associated at shoulder portion I6 oi the garment in the usual manner. In this case, stitching I8, which may pass through the edge portions 20 ofthe pad, tacks the .pad to the garment and holds the pad in position in the garment so that it rests on shoulder I4.

In the form of pad shown in Figs. l, 11 and 16, a section 22 of a predetermined size, according to the size of the padY i@ to be formed therefrom, is cut'from a sheet of material. This sheet may be made from any suitable material ofthe spongy rubber type. It has been found desirable to work with a particular type of material wherein the thickness is determined by the number oflayers 26 of the substance used in making the sheet. These layers are disposed one upon the other in the formation of the sheet, and are approximately an eighth of an inch or less in thickness. The substance may be made up of textile fibers, preferably short wool fibers, which have been beaten up or in any other suitable manner, coated, to a slight degree, with latex or synthetic rubber material. Just enough of this rubbery substance is adhered to each of the bers so that, when the entire mass is permitted to now as a viscous mass into a layer 26, and thereafter the solvent used for the preparation of that viscous mass evaporates or is dissipated, the bers will be retained anchored together by reason of the strings or strands of rubber material binding the several fibers together. Sheets of varying thickness are formed by flowing successive layers upon those already formed. Finally, the resultant very porous mass forms a highly elastic and flexible sheet. The sheet can be worked to diierent thin edge portions 20 along an angular periphery 34 from a high point 3! where a centerline 32 intersects wall 28. In other words, the maximum height of material is at the intersection of centerline 32 with wall 23. Then, in all directions from that point, the section tapers down to periphery 34.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, this pad ller 36, thus formed, may be bent around a form 38 which preferably takes the shape of a shoulder Ill. Now

.surfaces 40 and 42 of the pad will be placed, re-

spectively, in compression and under tension, as can readily be understood. The result,V of course, is that when released, the particular ller returns to the form it had in Fig. 3.

It is desirable, however, for working purposes, that a xed shape be imparted tothe pad, or that the pad tend to return to a certain xed shape, in order that when it is inserted into the garment, it will tend to shape the garment itself to that form. It has been ascertained that, when a section of material, either of the type here considered, or other flexible materials, where the thickness is a small fraction of the surface area, has applied to a surface thereof a material of the typel in which an adhesive, particularly of the latex orarticial rubber type, is dispersed or suspended in a solvent, and the section is bent or rolled, and retained in that form until the solvent has had the opportunity to act upon the rubber of the section, or the solvent has dissipated from the applied adhesive, the section no longer will tend to return from that form to the original form. This principle may be applied in making the filler function to provide the desired form of a pad.

While the application of the adhesive thus produces the result, it has been found desirable to protect the applied material, and alsotoa-dd a degree of rigidity by means of a substantially inelastic material. As shown in Figs. 5, 3 and 9, a sheet M of some substantially inelastic fabric, such as buckram, is placed in the cavity 3 yof form 3S before pad filler 36 is applied. This cavity conforms to the contour of theller 44 to be produced, particularly as shown by Figs. 14 and 15. Sheet se may be formed from a pair of pieces of fabric, the edges of which are cut so that sheet 64, when theseY edges of the pieces have been sewed together, will have a contouring conforming as closely as possible to that of cavity 43 and surface 43, as finally deformed.

Surface of filler 36 may first be prepared with an application of a simple rubber cement or other suitable means to cause the rubber of surface 3G to become tacky. Thisv application may be, obtained by spraying. .Any suitable solvent may be utilized for that purpose. The surface of sheet e to be adhered to the ller may also be sprayed, but that is not essentialto success. Surface 0 of filler 36, thus prepared, is nowl pressedagainst sheet, whichY has been positioned on the form, and is heldin that position until the rubber at surface 40, whether from the cement or from the tackiness produced by the solvent, will cause adhesion between sheet 44 and filler 36. Heat may be utilized in this operation, although it is not essential. It is applied through form 38 or in any other suitable manner, to hasten the drying out at the area of contact of surface 40 and sheet 44, and may be produced by a heating fluid caused to flow through the hollow interior 45 of the form from a supply duct 41 'and out through a discharge duct 49.

After a predetermined interval, to be determined by the size of pad filler 36, the assembled unit 46 is removed from form 38. The unit thus formed is then ready for use. However, for certain purposes, the industry desires that top surface 42 should have a felt layer 5|. In those cases, the procedure outlined hereafter for applying a sheet 54 to surface 42 may be followed. In that case, a felt layer 5I andV surface 42 would be prepared, and after sheet 44 had been applied, the application of layer 5| would be completed.

Unit 46, as completed, may be shielded by means of a cloth container 48, which may be made upy in any suitable manner by stitching a pair of pieces 50 and 52 of fabric together. In that case, the container 48 supplies the means for tacking the pad to the garment by stitching I8. Container 48 may be omitted, and unit 46, in such case, stitched directly by stitching passing through the unit, either at filler 36, or, as shown, through sheet 44 and layer 5I, to retain the pad positively with relation to the garment.

Instead of applying sheet 44 to surface 40, a sheet 54 may be pushed into a form 56 which is the reverse of form 38.v This form may, if desired, receive a heating medium through conduits 51 and 59. In this case, adhesion is between surface 42 and the sheet, the operation being followed in substantially the same manner as outlined, With the exception of this reversal of surfaces. In either case, the breakdown in elasticity by the treatment of surface 40 or surface 42, and the inelasticity of sheet 44 or sheet 54 retains surface 4l)k or surface 42 in compression or tension, according to its condition at the time the construction is set up. In other words, after pad filler 36 has been bent over form 38 or pushed into form 56, and sheet 44 or sheet 54 becomes adhered to surface 40 or surface 42, that sheet will cooperate to resist return of surface 40 or surface 42 to its normal condition, and thus retain the pad filler in the form of pad I0.

Many other changes could be effected in the particular construction, and in the methods of use and construction, and in specific details thereof, hereinbefore set forth, without substantially departing from the invention defined in the claims, the specific description being merely of embodiments capable of illustrating certain principles ofthe invention.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In shoulder pad construction, a pad of resilient material consisting of textile bers loosely and elastically retained in association by an interconnected coating of a rubbery material, the pad being shaped to provide a mound-like form, the pad having a pair of opposed faces, the pad being in flexure to dene one face as a convex surface and the opposed face as a concave surface, and a coating of adhesive applied in the uid state to the entire surface of one of the faces while the -pad is in the state of flexure to interact with the coating of rubbery material, the adhesive coating interacted with the rubbery material providing means after it has set while the pad is held continuously in the state of ilexure to retain every point in that surface to which it is applied against movement out of said state of flexure so that the interacted adhesive coating and the rubbery material on release of the pad from the flexing force anchor the pad against movement out of the stressed condition of fiexure and thereby substantially x the concave surface to conform closely to the contour of a shoulder, the interacted adhesive coating and the rubbery material applying resistance throughout the entire surface to which the adhesive coating is applied to movement of the pad out of its flexed form.

2. In shoulder pad construction, a pad of resilient material consisting of textile fibers loosely and elastically retained in association by an interconnected coating of a rubbery material, the pad being shaped to provide a mound-like form, the pad having a pair of opposed faces, the pad being in flexure to define one face as a convex surface and the opposed face as a concave surface, and a coating of adhesive applied in the fluid state to the entire surface of one of the faces while the pad is in the state of flexure to interact with the coating of rubbery material, the adhesive coating interacted with the rubbery material providing means after it has set while the pad is held continuously in the state of flexure to retain every point in that surface to which it is applied against movement out of said state of flexure, and a layer of relatively inelastic material of an extent at least as great as the extent of the face having the adhesive coating, the layer being applied to the adhesive coating while the adhesive coating still retains a. degree of fluidity to unite the layer with and to retain it adhered to the coated face at substantially every point in the surface of said face as the pad is held in its state of flexure so that the layer and the coating, on release of the pad from the flexing force, anchor the pad against movement out o-f the stressed condition of flexure and thereby substantially fix the concave surface to conform closely to the contour of a shoulder, the interacted adhesive coating and the rubbery material and the layer retained by the coating applying resistance throughout the entire surface to which the adhesive coating and the layer are applied to movement of the pad out of its flexed form.

DAVID MORGENSTERN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 374,120 Eastman Nov. 29, 1887 2,172,499 Chassaing Sept. 12, 1939 2,424,482 Mechur et al. July 22, 1947 2,425,227 Blooml Aug. 5, 1947 2,461,881 Diamond Feb. 15, 1949 2,478,340 Talalay Aug. 9, 1949 2,509,159 Mack May 23, 1950 2,574,637 `Gerry Nov. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 542,687 Great Britain July 19, 1940 

